Star Trek The Original Series Season 4 Episode 4
by Lizzie Brookes
Summary: Hallucinogenic snakes beam up to the Enterprise and cause trouble.


The Original Series

Season 4 Episode 4 Hallucinogenic Snakes

Disclaimer: I do **not** own Star Trek.

Voiceover: Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise, and its five year mission, to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.

As Mr Spock examined the plant and animal life on the tropical planet with his tricorder, a few green serpents slithered from the nearby trees right behind him. Spock blinked at his tricorder and turned but as he turned the snakes vanished. He checked his tricorder once more, shook his head and returned to examining the flora and fauna. The now invisible snakes gathered right beneath the beaming point.

"No sign of humanoid life Mr Spock".

The Captain had returned with the two security men.

"It would appear then that this planet consists of plant and animal life only captain".

"Anything worth taking back to the Enterprise?"

"Negative Captain though the vegetation is undoubtedly fascinating".

Spock reluctantly moved away from the plants and joined Captain Kirk and the security officers.

"Kirk to Scotty, four to beam up".

"Aye Captain".

Jim decided to continue hovering above the planet a while longer, just in case they needed to beam back down for any reason. The invisible snakes wandered all over the ship. Anyone who happened to trip over them were at first surprised but usually came to the conclusion that they had tripped over their own feet and continued walking.

Uhura screamed. Captain Kirk was by her side immediately. Chekhov and Sulu turned from their stations as did Spock.

"What is it Lieutenant?"

"I just felt like something bit me in the foot Captain". Uhura then passed out, slumping over the communications station."

Kirk went straight to the communications panel. "McCoy to Bridge".

Dr McCoy lifted an unconscious Uhura in his arms and carried her to sickbay immediately.

" _What is the meaning? What form of communication? For what purpose is singing? Think about music"._

Uhura screamed as she woke up. Dr McCoy was by her side immediately. She had only been unconscious for a short while and although Bones hadn't found anything seriously wrong with her, he had advised her to sleep. Yet now, only two hours later she had awoken, petrified.

Strangely enough Uhura showed no signs of confusion or disorientation upon awakening. On the contrary, she seemed both oriented and alert.

"I had a nightmare about Nomad erasing my memory Doctor".

McCoy frowned. "But that was two years ago."

"I know Doctor but it was almost like…well if I hadn't been asleep I'd say I was reliving the event".

"Strange", McCoy took her readings once more. He hesitated. "I don't want to ask you to go back to sleep since you had a nightmare but I think you should remain in sickbay."

Uhura nodded.

McCoy went to his office but soon an agitated Scotty burst in, looking desperate.

"Yes Mr Scott, what can I do for you?"

She's dead".

"Who's dead?"

"I was walking with her in the fog. She screamed. There was a knife and I picked it up. The Captain said she was stabbed".

McCoy looked confused but then his face cleared.

"Are you referring to the Jack the Ripper murder in which you were implicated?"

"It, it seemed so real, like it happened again".

"Did you dream this?"

"No. I wasn't asleep as far as I know."

"A flashback?"

"Aye it could be Doc".

Dr McCoy sighed. He put Scotty on a bio bed in sickbay and then pressed the button to contact the bridge.

"What do you think Mr Spock?"

"It is interesting Captain. Uhura said something bit her, then fainted, and then apparently had a nightmare about Nomad. Mr Scott claims that he wasn't asleep but relived the time he was framed for the Jack the Ripper murders."

"And your logical deduction?"

"It is impossible to make a logical deduction without more facts Captain."

"Is it possible that we beamed aboard some entity that is causing this?"

"It is certainly possible Captain".

"Then I want a full scan of this ship."

"Compliant Captain".

Frightened by her nightmare, Uhura did not dare to sleep. Scotty slept for a few hours and then jolted awake just as Uhura had, having dreamt about the murder of his fellow crewmember. He too was oriented and alert on awakening, just as Uhura had been. A puzzled McCoy noted the two symptoms he had so far; nightmares and flashbacks.

Uhura stared straight ahead of her and then blinked. Captain Kirk in a protective suit was floating in front of her. No it couldn't be, the Captain was on the bridge. Uhura got off the bio bed and walked towards the figure which floated away from her.

"What is it lieutenant?"

"I can see the Captain. He is floating in mid-air wearing a protective suit".

"But that's impossible lassie. The Captain is on the bridge."

"You can't see him?"

"No".

Uhura turned to look behind her and saw Nomad coming towards her. She screamed and Dr McCoy came running.

"Hallucination." He made a note when Uhura explained. He turned to look at Scotty who appeared to be cradling an invisible body in his arms.

"Dr McCoy to Bridge".

"There is an invisible entity on board the ship Captain, possibly more than one."

"What kind of entity? Could it have beamed up from the planet?"

"Quite possibly. The scanner suggests a reptile of some kind, perhaps a snake."

"And these snakes are causing hallucinations, flashbacks and nightmares?"

"So it would appear Captain".

"Dr McCoy said that there was no sign of poison and the vitals appear normal. I have asked him to scan for other abnormalities in view of the facts."

"A most logical order Captain."

In sickbay Dr McCoy having seen no other choice had sedated both Scotty and Uhura, though how long ether would sleep before waking up from another nightmare he had no idea. In accordance with his orders he was now scanning for other abnormalities rather than just looking for obvious signs of sickness and fatality. He had noticed increased brain activity in both patients though interestingly their heart rate, blood pressure etc were normal rather than elevated as he would have expected. He finally isolated the substance. Some form of hallucinogenic drug transferred by a snake bite. A few yeomans and security officers arrived at sickbay with the same problem and were also sedated.

Kirk made an announcement claiming that all crewmembers must return to and stay in the nearest place whether this was the bridge, their quarters or the mess hall. He also issued an order that all crewmembers should carry a phaser set to stun and use it if they heard or sensed any presence, particularly if anyone tripped over anything invisible. Eventually the snakes were rounded up and taken to the transporter room though the security guards felt strange carrying invisible and stunned snakes in their arms. Spock had by this time identified the reptiles as hallucinogenic snakes. While not poisonous or deadly they created havoc and brought on a madness which could indirectly cause death through starvation, susceptibility to illness, or sleep deprivation. Once all the snakes were off the ship, Jim gave orders to leave the planet immediately full warp ahead while Dr McCoy worked on an antidote to help those slumbering in sickbay. He had been forced to give large doses of the sedative to the patients to stop them awakening from their nightmares.

The End.


End file.
